The Prince and The Girl Who Endures
by FreeMyMind
Summary: "But with choosing my family, it means I have to choose him." Draco and Ginny's relationship. From the end, to the beginning, and back again. I know it sounds awful, but give me a try. One-Shot


I sigh into his lips before pulling as far away as I can in the tiny broom closet we are in. His lips stay on my skin, trailing down my jaw. I place my hand on his chin and moan, "Draco, please. I need to tell you something." He smirks as he pulls away from her. "What's wrong?" She takes a deep breath and sighs "This is the last time. I-I'm gonna take Pot- Harry back." His smirk falls and becomes a sneer. "The last 2 years, I knew they meant nothing. Running back to Potter." The sneer slips and Ginny sees the gentle, kind side she had grown accustom to. "Why Ginny? I was the one who held you when he left. And since then, I've been taking care of you as well as I could. Why?"

I thought for a moment as to how best phrase this. "I can't abandon my family. Not after Fred. My Father still insists that your parents and _you _got off easy and should be in jail." He rushes in "I'll prove to him that I changed. That I was just a scared little boy. I've seen enough to grow up. And to love his beautiful daughter. Even though I still don't disserve you." I blink back tears and lean my face into his hand for a moment. But then I shake my head and continue. "They would never be able to move past it. My mum has just gotten over Fred. I-I-I can't hurt her by choosing anything over family. But with choosing my family, it means I have to choose _him. _Between my parents and Ron and Hermione, and all the pressure, I have to choose him. I'll have to marry him eventually. Have his children. Never be able to name them what I choose." Draco bends down and kisses me gently, convincingly. "We can run away. Be whatever or whoever we want." I shake my head. "I love you Draco, but you and I both know you're still the Prince. Heir to the Malfoy fortune. I grew up poor, as you used to remind me," here Draco flinched, but I continued, "I may be able to manage that and live that way, but you couldn't. Plus, your mother has just lost her sister." "Who tormented her and let a madman run our house!" Draco interrupted. "But she still was her sister. And you've told me how hard a time she's been having. Could you really leave her alone with just your father?" Draco slumps against a wall. "Never. So, you'll go marry Potter, and have his children. And I'll end up marrying some nice enough girl who can never compare to you."

I sigh, and let a single tear slip past. "And we both do what's best for our families." I lean down and brush a kiss along the bright white-blond hairline, knowing this will be the last time I'll see the real Draco. "And I'm sorry. I love you Draco." I wrench open the door, tears burgeoning, and a gentle hand clasps my wrist. "I can't stay." I hiss, my throat catching. I don't turn, but I hear him whisper, "Take this. As a memento." Something cold and metal slipped into my hand. I grasped it. And then wrenched my hand out of his and run down the hallway, and out onto the grounds.

I find myself on the qudditch pitch, where this all started. I sit on one of the stands and lean back, letting the memories wash over me.

Snape and the Carrows had banned quidditch, deeming it too violent. The truth was that they discovered the D.A. was using the mass confusion to slip away and do mischief. I still came down to the pitch to vent my anger. My cheek was still stinging and slightly bleeding from the cut Amicus had sliced into my face when I refused to torture a first year. As I swooped round and round the field, flying faster and faster, A voice called up to me, "All right there Weasley?" I halted my broom and called back, "What's it matter to you Malfoy?" He rolled his eyes and snarked, "Just thought that someone should check on the Queen Weasel. I'll leave then." I stormed down to him and glared at him. "Since when have I mattered to you? The Carrows sent you, didn't they!" Malfoy stepped closer, he is much taller than harry, I realized. I look up at him as he snarls "I am _not _anyone's slave. _No one_ orders me around." I glare at him. "Leave. Now." He smirks. "I think I'll stay for a while." I huff and turn away. But true to his word, he stays until I leave myself. It is long after dark, and way past curfew. He walks beside me, and I don't know why. Right as we walk past the doors, I turn to snarl at him that now he had to leave me alone. Suddenly, I'm up against the wall, with Malfoy's lips on mine. His hand is on one hip, while the other hitches my leg up over his hip. I almost shove him off, when he whispers, "Play along, then you can curse me." I hear footsteps that are heavy and clunky, and I recognize them. The Carrow brother. I open my mouth against Malfoy's and let his tongue enter in. He is a damn good kisser. Then, he pulls away, and I hear Amycus's wheezy laughter. "Well then. Little Draco's growing up." I see the tightness in Malfoy's jaw, but he replys "Sorry Carrow. I'll just send her on back to her dorm." He laughs again "Go on and finish up, just don't take to long." Draco nods and turns back to me. I wait until Amycus's steps fade away before shoving Draco off. "What the hell?" Draco just rolls his eyes, "You have no idea the good I've done you. Amycus has been lusting after you for awhile, but now he'll keep his paws off." I stared at him, my jaw hanging to my knees. "A thank you is probably in order." He mumbled. I stammer one out. He nods, and then says, "I'll walk you on back to your dorm." I nod appreciatively.

We don't run into anyone, nor do we talk, but I look at Draco in a new light, my lips still tingling in way they never did with Dean or Harry. I smile once we reach the Fat Lady, and mumble, "Good night… Draco." HE nods, "night Ginny." I turn to the Lady and clearly say, "Scrumdidlyuptious." She nods and swings open. On a last second impulse, I pause, and turn back. I run to Draco, and kiss him again. I feel his pause of shock, and then his lips start to move with mine. It is the best kiss I've ever had.

Soon enough, between every break, we are pulling each other into broom closets, empty bathrooms, any where. And we aren't just snogging. I unload to him when everything is too much, and he slowly opens up about how he doesn't support Voldemort. And how his beliefs are not those he has spouted for years. He becomes my best Friend and confidant.

When Luna doesn't come back to school, He finds me on the Quidditch pitch and I don't even have to energy to be flying. He just wraps me in his warm embrace, and lets me cry into his expensive clothes. He's there for every torture, he soothes every wound. And I do the same, when necessary.

When my family decides I have to stay hidden and can't return to the school, I send one last letter.

_D,_

_I'm safe. Be careful._

_G_

It is several months before we see each other again. I am looking out a window, shooting curses down. I hear a tremendous noise behind me, and turn just in time, to watch as Harry, Ron and Hermione go down a staircase, Leaving Draco and Goyle behind them. I rush down the stairs, and crouch next to Draco. "Are you ok?" He mumbles, "Crabbe, he's- he's dead." I hug him, and whisper, "I'm so sorry." He nods, and gently kisses me. Then, a random curse flies over our head. We are reminded of where we are, and split up. I call out to him, "I'll find you." He nods.

But I forget. First, I loose Fred. Fred, who would tease Ron when he messed with me. Fred, who watched out for me. Then Harry who, even though I had accepted that I didn't love, was our last hope. Who was still like a brother, and who was supposed to avenge Fred, is dead. Then, I watch my Mother, MY MUM who bandaged my knee and helped my braid my hair, kills someone. You can't blame me.

After the battle, I slip away down to what had been the pitch, only to find him waiting for me. He glances up. "You didn't find me." I shake my head. "I'm sorry." I sit next to him, with our backs against one of the tall goalposts. He reached over and grasped my hand. "Everything is going to change, isn't it?" I shrug, but let myself rest my head on his sturdy, broad shoulder. He continues, "Father says that they'll have the school repaired. I already asked McGonagall if I could re-do this year. For some reason she allowed me too." I squeeze his hand, "Everyone has seen the change in you. Especially me. Can- can we just leave this conversation? My head's not on straight. Can you give me the summer? Just to think and deal with everything?" He sighs and whispers "Just don't get with Po- Harry." My response is automatic and quick, "Never."

He gave me my space over summer. And I got everyone else to do the same. When I returned to school though, our reunion wasn't held back long. Actually, we weren't even at school yet. I send Hermione to find a cabin, telling her I needed to go to the bathroom. I slid open the door, and a pale hand grasps it. I smile as I see him. I missed Draco more than I cared to admit. He steps into the loo and shuts the door behind him. His lips are on mine within moments, my hands mussing his hair. He pulls back and murmurs, "You still want this?" I nod, and pull our lips back together.

We have to be a lot more careful with our meetings. Hermione's here now, and I know that she wouldn't hesitate to owl Ron if she caught us. But we meet more and more.

The day before winter break, we are in the room of requirement, which had exceeded expectations and repaired itself. We are laughing on a bright red picnic blanket, enjoying a picnic. And he says it. The words that I knew were true for me, but doubted for him. His hand gently stroked a piece of hair back that had fallen in my eyes, and he whispered, "I love you." I smiled and grabbed another strawberry. After I bit into it I smiled serenely at him and said, "I love you too." He chuckled and then pulled me into another kiss.

But when I go home to winter break, though, the world comes crashing down around me feet. My father storms in halfway through the break, tossing the prophet on the table. "MALFOY GOT OFF!" he fumes to my mother, who drops her tea. As I rush to clean up the shattered porcelain, he continues to fume. "An _admitted _death eater! And all he has to do is claim he's _reformed, _that he _has seen the error of his ways_ and Kingsly lets him off! I swear, if I ever see any of them again, I will-"My mother cuts in, "Arthur, Calm down. We will discuss this later." HE shakes with anger and then storms upstairs. Mum turns to me and quietly says, "I know you go to school with him, but promise me you aren't talking to that boy. Your father is in such a rage that Minerva even let him return. Don't be rude, but don't be friendly. Ok Ginny?" I swallow the lump in my throat as I murmur, "I understand." She seems to ignore the aversion I provide.

But the seed of doubt is planted. And I realize that I can never merge these two worlds. And it kills me inside. How many nights do I sit up, unable to sleep because I haven't made a decision. I think the final straw to tip the scales is the anniversary of the battle. I visit the memorial erected, and press a hand to Fred's name. It is about 4 in the morning. I murmur, "Fred. I wish you were here. I wish I could talk to you again." A wash of cold air runs over my spine, and I turn, suddenly suspicious. Lingering at the edge of the clearing is George. He is still hollow. Can you ever get over loosing your other half? I smile and hug him. He wraps his arms around me and murmurs, "I wish he was here to. I wish he could tell me how to deal with any of this. But you can talk to me Ginny. I'm here for you." I pull away and nod, wiping a tear off. But I don't unload to him.

That was 3 days ago, and I feel a cold wind again. For the barest of moments, the shortest of seconds, I feel a heavy weight on my shoulder. I sigh. Was this the right decision?

I open the prophet a couple years later and see an announcement declaring the engagement between Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass. An owl arrives moments later, with a simple note in a familiar scrawling cursive.

_I'm sorry. _

But I have no right to complain. I am chaser of the Holey Head Harpies. I date the Boy Who Lived, Now called The Man Who Endured. And I am happy enough. I have an almost son in Teddy, and am godmother to my newest nephew Louis._ I'll_ endure. I always have.


End file.
